How Taylor ended up in a Royals’ uniform


Following the end of the 2017 season, the Royals saw the World Series team disband from Eric Hosmer signing with the Padres to Lorenzo Cain signing with Milwaukee. Kansas City searched for their replacements in free agency and failed multiple times, until finding a keeper in Michael A Taylor. Before signing with Kansas City, the outfielder was unable to find his footing in the outfield with Washington. During the Royals 2015 World Series Championship year, Taylor was handed the center field job in the state capitol. Taylor held down the starting job with Washington for about a year and a half before losing his outfield spot to Victor Robles. James Simmons of districtondeck.com in 2020 wrote that Taylor wouldn't be an everyday player for a big league team. "Taylor will sign a major league deal next year and provide depth for some team, leaving Nationals fans to wonder what could have been. The long awaited decision on the future of Michael Taylor has finally been made." In 2020, Kansas City signed Taylor to a one year deal worth $1.75 million with $1 million in incentives. After the Royals signed Taylor, writers said that the outfielder would be just a part time player. "Taylor could function as a simple platoon partner for the left-handed-hitting Cordero, or if he’s able to again approach his 2017 level of play, he could earn a bigger role in an outfield mix that is still largely undefined." At the time of the Taylor's signing, former Royals general manager Dayton Moore wanted an outfielder with great defensive skills to cover the large outfield at Kauffman Stadium. Many fans believed that Taylor wouldn't help the team with his bat, but they were shocked by Taylor's stats after the 2021 season. In 142 games played, the outfielder posted a .244 batting average with 54 runs batted in and a dozen homeruns. Both the Nationals and the Royals knew that Taylor plays a stellar center field. The 31-year old won a gold glove and was awarded the Fielding Bible Award covering the Kauffman Stadium grass in 2021. The former Washington prospect was able to cement the center field job in Kansas City after signing his one year deal with the team that past offseason. Five days before the end of the 2021 season, the team signed Taylor to a multi-year contract extension. On September 29th of that year, Taylor and the Royals agreed to a two year extension worth a very team friendly salary of $9 million dollars. Following Taylor's contract extension with Kansas City, the team called up two minor league gold glove winners—Bobby Witt Jr and Nick Pratto in 2022. 
Now in 2022, the Royals have multiple defensive stars on the same roster but haven't been able to get themselves out of the bottom half of the American League Central. The Royals are hoping to reach the postseason next season and end the team's playoff drought with incredible defense from their up and coming stars Bobby Witt Jr along with others. Depending on whether the young group of Royals players can win together in the big leagues, Taylor could find himself winning his second World Series ring in his career. 

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